Xref
Xref is a publicly listed (ASX: XF1) cloud-based SaaS employer intelligence platform that automates reference checking and offers pulse surveys, exit surveys, and background checks for HR and talent acquisition teams globally.
- Company typePublic
- Founded2010
- HeadquartersSydney, Australia
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What Xref does
Xref is a publicly listed (ASX: XF1) cloud-based SaaS employer intelligence platform founded in 2010 and headquartered in Sydney, Australia. The company automates the candidate referencing process and has expanded into adjacent hire-to-retire use cases, offering a portfolio that includes Reference (automated reference checking), Pulse (employee pulse surveys), Exit (exit surveys), Engage (custom engagement surveys), Trust Marketplace (a marketplace of background-checking vendors), and platform features such as Survey Builder, Automated Requests, Talent Profiles, and Insights. Underlying technology is a multi-tenant SaaS platform hosted on AWS and Microsoft Azure with multiregional data storage, ISO 27001 and SOC 2 Type 2 security certifications, GDPR compliance, and a public API; in 2024 the company introduced AI Reference Summaries, a generative-AI feature that produces text overviews of referee feedback. The company serves HR and talent acquisition teams, people and culture leaders, recruitment process outsourcing providers, and staffing and recruitment firms across verticals including banking, retail, hospitality, healthcare, government, construction, and not-for-profit, with named enterprise customers such as Westpac, McDonald's, and The Salvation Army.
Xref operates a hybrid go-to-market combining enterprise field sales with self-serve product-led growth, supported by a free trial, freemium entry point, and quote-based subscription pricing. Revenue is generated primarily through recurring SaaS subscriptions, with a secondary commission stream from the Trust Marketplace background-check partner ecosystem and an additional subscription contribution from the Voice Project employee engagement business acquired in November 2022 for approximately AUD 4 million. The company maintains operating subsidiaries in Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Canada, and the United States, and reports an H1 FY26 revenue of AUD 10.2 million with 27% ARR growth and 57% YoY growth on its new platform, 124 net new clients, positive EBITDA of AUD 1.3 million, a 14% reduction in operating expenses, and AUD 900,000 of debt reduction. FY26 strategic priorities include migrating 315 legacy clients to the new platform, adding 300 net new clients, and driving 20% adoption of additional platform features within the existing base.
Xref firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Xref
- Legal name
- Xref Limited
- Website
- https://xref.com
- Company type
- Public
- Founded year
- 2010
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Xref is a publicly listed (ASX: XF1) cloud-based SaaS employer intelligence platform that automates reference checking and offers pulse surveys, exit surveys, and background checks for HR and talent acquisition teams globally.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Xref industry classification
Industry- Product category
- HR Reference Checking Software
- NAICS
- Employment Placement Agencies (561311)
- SIC
- Services-Employment Agencies (7361), Services-Prepackaged Software (7372)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Core HR & HRIS (BPACAPAA)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Intelligent Document Processing (IDP) & OCR Automation (HDAEAHAC)
Keywords
Where Xref is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Sydney
- HQ country
- Australia
- HQ region
- Oceania
Offices4 records
Markets served
Xref business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- SaaS Platform Subscriptions: Subscription-based SaaS revenue model with recurring annual and monthly subscription fees for access to reference checking, pulse surveys, exit surveys, and engagement tools. The company reports 27% growth in Annual Recurring Revenue in H1 2026.
- Trust Marketplace Background Checks: Commission-based revenue from background check services through the Trust Marketplace partner ecosystem of global verification vendors.
- Voice Project Acquisition Revenue: Acquisition of Voice Project employee engagement platform added approximately $4 million to annual revenues, expanding hire-to-retire solution offerings.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Monthly | Free trial available for all platform features |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels9 records
Xref product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Xref operates a cloud-based SaaS platform that automates HR reference checking and delivers employee engagement survey programs (pulse, exit, and custom surveys) for HR and talent acquisition teams. The platform also includes a marketplace of pre-vetted background-checking vendors, allowing customers to procure employment verification checks alongside their reference workflow.
Product overview
Xref is a unified employer intelligence platform offering a portfolio of HR tech solutions spanning the hire-to-retire employee lifecycle. The core platform centers on Reference (automated reference checking), Pulse (employee pulse surveys), and Exit (exit surveys), supplemented by the Engage add-on module for custom engagement surveys and Trust Marketplace for background checking services. Additional platform features include Survey Builder, Automated Requests, Talent Profiles, Insights, and the AI-powered AI Reference Summaries feature. The architecture follows a platform-plus-modules model where the core products work independently or together, unified by shared talent profiles and insights across the employee lifecycle.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Trust Marketplace: An evolving marketplace of best-known global background-checking vendors.
- Xref Engage
Products and services
- Reference
- Pulse
- Exit
- Engage
- Trust Marketplace
- Background Employment Checks Standalone background verification service connecting employers with vetted providers for pre-employment screening checks.
Quantifiable outcome
- 57% year-on-year revenue growth in H1 2026
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Xref
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments10 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Xref technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration16 records
AI capability2 records
Feature8 records
Xref partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.
- Voice ProjectcoreXref acquired Voice Project, an employee engagement technology company, for AUD 4 million to enhance its hire-to-retire platform. The acquisition added approximately AUD 4 million to Xref's revenues, expanded staff from 85 to 100 employees, and enabled cross-selling opportunities with existing clients.
- AWS (Amazon Web Services)coreInfrastructure, application and data hosting services. AWS provides cloud infrastructure supporting Xref's SaaS platform operations across Australia, Germany, Canada, and United States data centers.
- SalesforcemajorCustomer relationship management integration. Salesforce CRM is used for managing client relationships and sales processes within Xref's business operations.
- StripecorePayment gateway services for subscription billing. Stripe processes payment transactions and provides fraud detection for Xref's business operations.
- ChargebeecoreSubscription billing platform managing subscription lifecycle, payment processing, and usage analytics for Xref's SaaS business model.
- Trust Marketplace PartnersmajorGlobal background-checking vendor ecosystem within the Trust Marketplace, providing comprehensive due diligence services integrated into Xref's platform.
- TaleomajorOracle Taleo integration enables seamless reference checking workflows within enterprise talent acquisition processes.
- iCIMSmajoriCIMS integration allows organizations to conduct reference checks directly within their applicant tracking workflow.
- WorkdaymajorWorkday HRIS integration connects reference checking data with employee records for comprehensive talent management.
- SmartRecruitersmajorIntegration with SmartRecruiters ATS platform enables streamlined candidate assessment and reference checking processes.
- GreenhousemajorGreenhouse ATS integration provides hiring teams with embedded reference checking capabilities within their recruitment workflow.
- BullhornmajorBullhorn recruitment platform integration enables staffing firms to leverage Xref's reference checking within their candidate management system.
- Microsoft AzurecoreAzure infrastructure services provide cloud hosting capabilities for Xref's platform operations in Australia and United States.
Scale indicators14 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Xref competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- HireRight: HireRight is a global provider of background screening, drug testing, and employment verification services. It competes with Xref's Trust Marketplace and reference checking offerings, particularly in regulated industries and large enterprise accounts.
- Sterling: Sterling provides background screening and identity verification services to enterprises globally. It is comparable to Xref's Trust Marketplace offerings, with deeper US footprint and broader compliance-focused product suite.
- Checkr: Checkr is a leading AI-powered background check platform serving employers across the US and internationally. It directly competes with Xref in automated employment screening and reference checking, with stronger US enterprise penetration.
- RefNow: RefNow is a focused reference checking platform competing head-to-head with Xref's core reference checking product. As a smaller specialist, it represents direct niche competition particularly in the UK and European mid-market.
- SkillSurvey: SkillSurvey is a cloud-based reference and credentialing solution focused on automated reference checking for healthcare and education employers. It overlaps directly with Xref's reference checking core, especially in regulated verticals.
Broad incumbents
- Workday: Workday is a dominant cloud HRIS and financial management platform with growing native talent acquisition capabilities. It represents an incumbent risk to Xref if Workday bundles reference checking and engagement surveys natively into its suite.
- iCIMS: iCIMS is a major enterprise ATS with adjacent candidate relationship and onboarding capabilities. While not a direct reference checking competitor, its scale and integration with HRIS ecosystems position it as both a partner and potential substitute for Xref.
Emerging players
- HireVue: HireVue provides AI-driven video interview, assessment, and talent evaluation tools. It overlaps with Xref's candidate intelligence and employee engagement product strategy across the hiring lifecycle.
- Harver: Harver (formerly Modern Hire) is a hiring solution combining assessments, reference checking, and interview analytics. It overlaps with Xref's broader hire-to-retire platform positioning, especially for high-volume hiring customers.
- Certn: Certn is an emerging background screening platform offering AI-driven candidate verification. It competes with Xref's Trust Marketplace capabilities with a modern API-first approach targeting tech-forward employers.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Xref social profiles
Digital presenceXref compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
Xref financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Xref leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Xref subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Xref funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds2 records
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Xref M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A2 records
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Xref
What does Xref do?
Xref operates a cloud-based SaaS platform that automates HR reference checking and delivers employee engagement survey programs (pulse, exit, and custom surveys) for HR and talent acquisition teams. The platform also includes a marketplace of pre-vetted background-checking vendors, allowing customers to procure employment verification checks alongside their reference workflow.
Is Xref a public or private company?
Xref is a public company. It is classified as public and is currently operating.
When was Xref founded?
Xref was founded in 2010. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Xref based?
Xref is headquartered in Sydney, Australia, in the Oceania region.
How does Xref make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. SaaS Platform Subscriptions are the primary driver. The others are trust Marketplace Background Checks and voice Project Acquisition Revenue.
Who are Xref's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are HireRight, Sterling, Checkr, RefNow and SkillSurvey. Broad incumbents are Workday and iCIMS. Emerging players are HireVue, Harver and Certn.
Does Xref have an API?
Yes. Xref offers a public API for developers to build integrations and automate reference checking workflows. The API documentation is available at https://xrefopenapi.docs.apiary.io/. The Privacy Policy mentions API keys are used to connect applications on the platform. Developer documentation is at xrefopenapi.docs.apiary.io/#.
What industry is Xref in?
Xref's product category is HR Reference Checking Software. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPACAPAA, Core HR & HRIS, with a secondary code of HDAEAHAC, Intelligent Document Processing (IDP) & OCR Automation. Its NAICS code is 561311 and its SIC code is 7361.